NYC — You Were Right To Postpone The Marathon In Wake Of Sandy

City of New York — you did the right thing by canceling the ING Marathon set to take place on Nov. 4 after a path of destruction from Hurricane Sandy left the entire tri-state area in a state of emergency — here’s why.

New York City is one of the greatest cities on Earth, but sometimes we all need to take a step back and reassess our priorities. Mayor Bloomberg has said the annual race will boost the city’s economy and raise morale after the storm, but I think it will pull valuable resources away from those who need it most.

UPDATE: As of 5:15pm EST on Nov. 2, the marathon has been cancelled. Below is the editorial I wrote just minutes before the announcement came in.

Snooki, who is famous for being on the reality show, Jersey Shore, set in Seaside Heights, which is now in ruins, tweeted on Nov. 2, “They’re still doing this damn marathon & heating tents for the runners? IS THIS A JOKE?! Help the f*cking people who just lost their homes!”

Anderson Cooper tweeted on Nov. 2, “I hadn’t realized the NYC marathon starts in Staten Island. Does that seem appropriate now? What do you think?”

‘The Forgotten Borough’:

Staten Island was one of the hardest hit places, and many residents are calling it “the forgotten borough.” Others fear that as rescuers continue to search flooded homes, bodies will be found and the death toll will rise.

It’s hard to focus on a race when, as I write this at 5:00pm EST on Nov. 2nd, half of Manhattan is without power, in the cold and in the dark. Even rich and powerful celebrities like Chelsea Clinton have tweeted that they are, “at home with candles, kindles and canned food! Any must-read recommendations for waiting out a storm? #Sandy”.

Lady Gaga, who grew up in NYC, tweeted on Oct. 29, “i know its gonna be ok, but that water flooding downtown while my friends are sitting in the dark is making me sad. i love you new york.”

It’s A Moral Issue:

As I write, bridges have restrictions, tunnels are closed, train lines are suspended — who thinks we are ready for millions to flood the city for a race? Furthermore, are all subways going to be up and running as the streets shut down for the runners? How will people get from place to place?

This isn’t a political issue — it’s a moral one. People need help! It’s not about the impending election, which is also a concern, but it’s about getting the people who are suffering BASIC necessities like food, water, clothing and blankets.

People can’t go to school, people can’t go to work — we have bigger problems! We need every resource available. People are lining up to get food out of dumpsters. A man was arresting for pulling out a gun while waiting for gas — supplies are scarce — we need to concentrate and conserve.

Stars Pitch In:

Even celebs like Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalderhave pledged to help. On Oct. 30, he tweeted, “It’s a rough night on the east coast right now-to the greatest city in the world and you or beautiful East Coast, we’re going to help you!!!”

So I say, NYC, thank you for postponing the marathon — you’ll still get the revenue and morale boost — but it’s not an appropriate time to do it.

What do you think, HollywoodLifers? Are you happy the marathon was postponed?